Saturday, September 1, 2018

Where Do You Get Potions in a Dry Town?

Knock three times and whisper "Basilisk"

d12
1. Import Emporium down by the docks sells healing potions by the crate from dodgy overseas manufacturer, 50% failure rate, 5% toxicity rate, employee must vouch for you
2. See the obese gnome under the giant toadstool near sewage treatment facility, he's got the good stuff
3. Street vendor specializing in doodads, knickknacks, tchotchkes, also has small behind-the-counter selection, he wears a really tall fez
4. When the third house on the left on Ambush Alley flies the green flag, that means potions are in stock, all customers probed by wand of sheriff detection before entry
5. Leave a detailed message plus small bag of gold under the giant trash bin behind the tavern, return & check for an unmarked crate just before sunrise
6. My good friend the street alchemist is a little eccentric: you must engage him in unarmed combat before he'll sell you anything, it's usually non-lethal
7. You can try the Forest Lady. She lives in a shack outside the city walls just inside the edge of the woods, a pack of wolf-dogs live around there too. She might be a witch.
8. No, no, what you want to do is leave your money in a sack at the edge of Nearby Swamp with a detailed note. When you come back the next morning there should be a giant frog waiting for you. It will open its mouth and reveal your purchase. No, really.
9. The lady who plays the double-necked lute at the tavern knows a guy who knows this other dude
10. If the levitating monk in the park senses you've made a substantial donation to his temple, he will indicate with his eyes where to go
11. There's a hidden tree house in the forest that has what you need, but you have to bribe the password out of somebody because, well, they have a lot of lightning strikes right in that area
12. If you go to the town square and shout "Basilisk!" at the top of your lungs, eventually someone will approach you (see subtable below)

Subtable: Who Approaches You When You Scream Out "Basilisk!" In the Town Square
d6
1. Flim-flam artist aims to hose you out of your gold, promises speedy return w/the goods, slithers off forever
2. Actual potion dealer with long heavy coat loaded w/the goods, so sketchy, paranoid, speaks only in code
3. Street creep eager to act as unauthorized middle-man steps in quickly, mark-up 200%, zooms off to intercept dude from entry 2
4. Mendicant w/menacing build had a weird dream about a basilisk last night, wants to discuss
5. Constabulary looking for a quick bribe (80%) or recreational beat-down (20%)
6. Barbarian fresh from ill-fated adventure featuring a basilisk would rather you not say that word